About
The Friday Backpack Program is a statewide program in which food banks provide children with ready-to-eat food in backpacks on Fridays. University of Missouri Extension supplements this program by providing educational materials to the organizations that assemble the backpacks. Every month we mail four items to these organizations so that one item per week can be added to the backpacks (see sidebar for list of items). This project is funded through USDA's SNAP Ed.
Each region of the state has a slightly different name and way of implementing the program. Therefore, you will have to contact your local food pantry to discuss the process. Other regions may refer to this program as: “Backsnack” “Backpacks for Friday” “Buddy Packs” and “Backpack Buddies”
Quick facts
With our Friday Backpack materials, we currently reach...
- over 24,000 students
- 314 different organizations
- 92 counties out of 114 in Missouri
To be added to mailing list, contact MU HES Extension (see information in sidebar)
The 4 items we send are:
- Kid-friendly recipe card
- Reinforcement of some kind (frisbee, chef's hat, stickers, etc.)
- Activity sheet
- “Did You Know?” card
